Chapter 150: The Encirclement Begins
After understanding how basic incantations work, Li Yao continued learning about the special mechanisms that arise from combining these symbols. From there, he could begin learning how to combine these mechanisms into complete sealing techniques.
This was the foundational path to developing and mastering fūinjutsu.
Li Yao still had much to learn.
Since he couldn't sense natural energy, his only option was to master sealing techniques through study and comprehension.
Though in the future, he considered seeking out Jiraiya — assuming he had already developed Sage Mode.
Maybe he could analyze the nature transformation of senjutsu chakra and replicate it.
But it seemed unlikely. Li Yao shook his head.
Senjutsu chakra involved natural energy, and since he couldn't absorb that, replicating it seemed impossible.
Still, if he could sense senjutsu chakra at close range, maybe he could begin to perceive the presence of natural energy.
If he could do that, given his precise control over physical and spiritual energy, fusing the three in a 1:1:1 ratio to create senjutsu chakra might be within reach.
But that was for the future.
For now, Li Yao focused on enriching his foundational sealing knowledge — understanding more base incantations and strengthening himself through theory.
He was so absorbed in his study that he lost all sense of time.
Until—
A burst of chakra suddenly flared a kilometer above, snapping him out of his trance.
"It's that one... the guy who can hide from chakra perception."
He couldn't see anyone, but he was certain a nearly invisible chakra flame silhouette hovered above, watching him.
That sudden flare — a signal.
"They're coming for me."
Kushi noticed his change in expression. "What's wrong, my lord?"
"My pursuers are here. We need to move—now."
Li Yao stood, black iron feather cloak spreading across his body. He quickly stored all the organized scrolls into his black water space, picked up Yuzu , and rushed toward the exit. Kushi followed close behind.
No enemies within six kilometers yet, but that wouldn't last.
One… two… three… seventeen!
Fast.
Before they even exited the underground tunnel, Li Yao sensed seventeen chakra signatures enter his range. They were approaching rapidly.
Four from the cardinal directions. Thirteen clustered together, coming from the direction of Uzushiogakure.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Once outside, Li Yao immediately created five shadow clones. Each summoned a black iron eagle and flew in separate directions.
Li Yao himself took Kushi and Yuzu into one of the eagles and flew off in another.
His enemies knew about his chakra perception. A surprise ambush would be hard. That jutsu that let them observe without detection wasn't suited for long-range assassination.
To kill him, they had to confront him directly.
And direct combat meant exposure to his sensory range — unless they were digging through the earth dozens of meters deep.
But Li Yao was already airborne. That wouldn't help them now.
The chakra flare had been the signal — the encirclement had begun.
They wouldn't have shown their hand unless they were confident.
Li Yao believed in his power, but he wouldn't make the mistake of underestimating them again.
His clones served to divide enemy forces — and gather intel.
He would strike back when the time was right.
His clones were strong. Anyone who couldn't resist his Perception Severance Technique would die.
"How did they find us?"
"Who's hunting us?" Kushi asked, confused. They had traveled mostly through the air — how could anyone have tracked them?
"Uncle…" Yuzu trembled, clinging to him, her eyes full of fear.
She had thought their days of being hunted were over. But even after meeting someone as strong as Uncle Li Yao, they were still being pursued.
Her traumatic memories returned, filling her with dread.
"Don't wor—" Li Yao started to reassure her but paused, then chuckled. "The ones chasing us are the Kage of the Five Great Nations."
"…" Kushi blinked, not quite understanding. "What did you say, my lord? Who's chasing us?"
"The Kage of the Five Great Nations. They've joined forces," Li Yao said calmly.
"Impossible. Absolutely imposs—" Kushi started to deny it but quickly fell silent, remembering the fall of the Land of Whirlpools.
It wasn't about whether they could unite — it was whether there was enough incentive or threat to force them to.
Clearly, Li Yao didn't possess power that warranted this. It had to be something else about him — something that made him a threat worth five nations.
"What is it?" Kushi looked at him with curiosity, but held her tongue. It wasn't the right time to ask.
"Five Kage… how could they…" Yuzu's face turned pale. She understood what this meant.
They had just escaped hell — and now, they were about to be dragged back in.
"I was surprised too," Li Yao shrugged. Even Madara hadn't faced the Five Kage this early. Now he had the honor.
When the chakra readings were vague, he wasn't sure.
But once Hiruzen and the Raikage entered his five-kilometer range, it became clear.
They were moving together — and accompanying them were three more chakra signatures as powerful as Hiruzen and the Raikage.
One stood out — small in stature, floating in the air, and radiating chakra stronger than all the rest. Even the Raikage didn't compare.
That could only be Ōnoki of the Dust Release — the Third Tsuchikage.
Only Ōnoki had chakra that powerful and the unique ability to fly without tools via Light-Weight Rock Technique.
Now that he confirmed Hiruzen, Ōnoki, and the Raikage, it wasn't hard to deduce who the other two were.
The Five Kage had really joined forces.
What had he done to deserve this?
Even now, Li Yao was baffled.
But regardless of the reason — with all five Kage after him — he had to run.
Once they split up, he would see if the other four could withstand his genjutsu.
"Hmm!"
Li Yao frowned again. His chakra sense told him the five Kage had locked onto his location and were adjusting their movement in sync with his.
"Did they spot me during the shadow clone deployment? Or are they tracking Kushi and Yuzu ?"
He pondered briefly, then created two more shadow clones.
"You two…"
Never mind.
Li Yao waved them off. He didn't bother explaining to Kushi and her daughter. Their usefulness had run its course. If not for the five Kage, he might have kept them around. Kushi 's figure wasn't bad — could've been useful to relieve tension.
But now? Better see if they could serve as decoys.
"What's—"
Before Kushi could ask, Li Yao and a clone exited the eagle's belly, summoned another eagle, and split off in two different directions.
Kushi and Yuzu remained in the original eagle with the other clone, continuing along the current route.
"Uncle… did he abandon us?" Yuzu's voice trembled, her tiny hand clutching her mother's. Her wide eyes welled with fearful tears.
"No. He left to draw the enemy away," Kushi said with tears in her eyes. She understood.
"Really?" Yuzu looked up with hopeful, questioning eyes.
"Yes." Kushi stroked her daughter's head and nodded while crying. "If he stayed with us, we'd only slow him down. None of us would escape. Only by leading the enemy away himself do we have a chance."
"Ah!" Yuzu cried. "Then Uncle's… no, we have to help him!"
She turned to the shadow clone beside them, begging it to fly them toward the real Li Yao.
The shadow clone: "…"
(END CHAPTER)
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